Viruses found in the faecal matter of endangered animals could be used to treat diabetic foot ulcers and save the NHS a estimated £1billion a year, researchers have suggested. A team from the University of Sheffield has discovered naturally occurring viruses in zoo animal faeces could be included in dressings applied to untreatable ulcers with further research.
Known as bacteriophage or phages, there are thousands of different types that can selectively target and kill bacteria, even in instances when antibiotics do not work. The research team, led by Professor Graham Stafford, used faeces from various animals, including Guinea baboons, lemurs and Visayan pigs, which are housed at Yorkshire Wildlife Park (YWP).
In a statement to the PA news agency, Professor Stafford, chairman of molecular microbiology at the University of Sheffield, he explained: "Despite the smell, it turns out that the faecal matter of endangered species could hold the key to killing infectious bacteria that are otherwise resistant to antibiotics."
He added that the team is "working hard" to develop the faecal matter "into viable treatments for patients whose next option is the loss of a toe, foot or leg. Importantly, the treatment could also help reduce costs of about £1 billion per year to the NHS."
According to Diabetes UK, about 4.3 million people are living with a diabetes diagnosis, while NHS England estimates around 10 per cent of patients will develop a foot ulcer at some point in their lives. Prof Stafford says his team's work is "part of a wider drive in UK bioscience to find new antimicrobials to combat the major global challenge of antimicrobial resistance (AMR)".
